Dan Dobish

Basketball Daily Dose

Daily Dose: Pow, Pau

It was a rather light night of action on the National Basketball Association, but there were plenty of outstanding fantasy performances. We even had a very unlikely triple-double in the first game of the night, and more than 10 double-doubles despite the fact only 12 teams were in action. In fact, the New Orleans Pelicans had three double-doubles on their own in their 118-103 victory on the road against the Detroit Pistons. We also had a couple of guys return from injury before the All-Star break. Let's start started!

Pau Gasol turned back the clock in Monday's game at Utah, as he took advantage of the absence of LaMarcus Aldridge (knee). He finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots and a steal over 33 minutes. It was an outstanding situation for Gasol, even with Rudy Gobert clogging the middle on defense. Gasol has the chance to do it all over again on Tuesday night, too, as the Spurs jump over the Rocky Mountains from Salt Lake City to Denver and Aldridge will be sidelined again. Just be careful, as the Spurs are no strange to resting veterans, and Gasol could very well sit, too, even with Aldridge sidelined. Davis Bertans and Joffrey Lauvergne might see a bump in fantasy appeal if Gasol were to sit or work in a limited capacity.

T.J. McConnell did not start Monday's 108-92 victory against the 76ers, but he was the only player in the NBA to turn in a triple-double. He posted 10 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds while adding six steals over 37 minutes while turning it over just twice. It was an impressive stat line for a reserve, as he hit 5-of-11 from the field while posting a plus-11. It was pretty amazing McConnell was able to gobble up the stats, as the two starting guards, J.J. Redick and Ben Simmons, also had nice lines. Simmons filled up the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocked shots, while Redick rained in 18 points, including three triples while hitting 6-of-11 from the field.

Editor's Note: Looking for an edge in your fantasy leagues? The NBA Season Pass provides weekly projections, rankings, the popular Pickups of the Day column, exclusive columns and customizable stat options. It's the extra tool that can take your fantasy basketball teams to the next level.

DeAndre Jordan had the glass cleaner out on Monday night, taking advantage of the smallish Nets. He was good for 16 points on 8-of-11 from the field while adding 17 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots over 36 minutes. Jordan also managed to avoid any trips to the free-throw line, which is addition by subtraction for fantasy owners. He ended up with a plus-22 rating, and his rebounds were second-highest on the evening to Andre Drummond's 21 rebounds. However, Drum did not have a terribly impressive shooting night, going 4-of-12 from the field while going 5-of-8 from the free-throw line to end up with 13 points and three turnovers while posting a minus-12 rating. That's why Jordan, not Drummond, is part of the Fantasy Five. If you follow along, Drummond was included on Sunday night.

Anthony Davis had the biggest scoring total of the evening, dumping in 38 points on 14-of-24 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the perimeter, and he was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw stripe. In addition, he was able to gather 10 rebounds with two blocked shots, an assist and a steal, as he more than handled his business while working opposite of Drummond. And to make matters better for 'The Brow', he and his team came away with the 15-point victory while he factored in with a plus-18 rating. He and Emeka Okafor teamed to neutralize Drummond on the defensive end, as Okafor chipped in with seven rebounds and a blocked shot over his 14 minutes. Nikola Mirotic was also busy with 21 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes off the pine.

What's gotten into Mario Hezonja in the past week or two? He was at it again on Monday night, going for 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point line. He also added 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, while filling up the stat sheet with six rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots while turning it over just once in his 30 minutes. He continues to take advantage of the fact Aaron Gordon remains sidelined with a strained left hip flexor. Hezonja is also benefiting from the fact the Magic dealt Elfrid Payton to the Phoenix Suns. Speaking of Payton, he receives honorable mention for the Fantasy Five with his 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting while gathering eight rebounds and five assists in Monday's blowout loss at Golden State.

Fantasy Game of the Night

The Los Angeles Clippers only scored 114 points, which isn't a prolific scoring total by any stretch. However, the Clips managed to spread the wealth with seven players scoring in double digits. That's quite impressive. We touched on Jordan above, and he was the only player on the roster with a double-double. However, Tobias Harris was close with 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists with a steal and a team-best plus-24 rating across his 33 minutes. Danilo Gallinari was also very efficient with a 6-of-9 shooting night, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc, while wrapping up the night with 16 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. The Italian swingman has two or more triples in each of his five games in the month of February while averaging 21.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 3-pointers per game. Austin Rivers was also effective, hitting 8-of-13 to finish with 17 points, and Avery Bradley rounded up the starting five with 11 points, as all starters were in double digits. Montrezl Harrell came off the pine and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor to wind up with 15 points across his 12 minutes, and of course Lou Williams was doing his thing off the bench with 20 points over 30 minutes, although he did go 0-of-4 from behind the arc to disappoint in that area.

In a losing effort, DeMarre Carroll finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and a blocked shot. The Junkyard Dog was on the trade block, but he appears to be rather pleased he was not shipped out of town. He is averaging 12.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists over his past three outings. Joe Harris was pretty effective off the bench, going for 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting in his 26 minutes of action. Spencer Dinwiddie didn't end up with a giant point total, but he finished with 13 points while hitting 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point line, and he ended up with eight assists and a steal, too. Allen Crabbe was one of four starters with multiple 3-pointers, hitting two triples while ending up with 15 points. Quincy Acy was the other member of the starting five to bang home two treys, finishing with eight points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot for a solid, yet unspectacular fantasy line. DeAngelo Russell tied Harris with a team-high 16 points, tacking on five assists with two rebounds and a steal over 25 minutes off the bench.

Quick Hits: After a double-double on Sunday, Michael Beasley had another solid outing with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting while adding five boards, two blocked shots and two assists. He made the start over Kyle O'Quinn, and it obviously looks like the right move. Over his past three outings he is averaging 19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocked shots and 1.0 steals per game. … Enes Kanter posted 17 points with 13 rebounds over 33 minutes for his eighth consecutive double-double. … Dario Saric posted a team-high 24 points with four rebounds and an assist while raining in four triples. Win or lose this season, Saric has been one of the most underrated fantasy option in the City of Brotherly Love. … Jrue Holiday went for 21 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot over 35 minutes in the 15-point win at Detroit. He also had a team-best plus-22 rating. … Donovan Mitchell took the circuitous route to his 25-point night, as he was just 9-of-28 from the floor. He also was 3-of-9 from behind the arc and just 4-of-6 from the free-throw stripe, but he kept getting the green light, jacking up shots, and the stats piled up slow but sure. He also ended up with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals while turning it over just once. … Rudy Gobert had another double-double, going for 10 points, 12 rebounds, two blocked shots, two assists and a steal over 31 minutes. … Derrick Favors had a solid line with 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. He has a four-game streak with at least one blocked shot and one steal while grabbing six or more boards in 10 straight outings. … Joe Ingles went for 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a steal. He didn't post a career high in points for the first time in three games, but he is averaging 22.3 PPG over the span. … In a blowout victory against the visiting Suns, Omri Casspi picked up the double-double, going for 19 points, 10 rebounds and two assists while hitting an effective 7-of-10 from the field. … Kevin Durant was limited to 30 minutes due to the lopsided nature of the score, but he still was good for 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, six assists and a pair of blocked shots. … Stephen Curry also lasted just 30 minutes, but he still piled up 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with three triples. … Klay Thompson has two more 3-pointers, giving him at least two treys in seven consecutive appearances.

It was a rather light night of action on the National Basketball Association, but there were plenty of outstanding fantasy performances. We even had a very unlikely triple-double in the first game of the night, and more than 10 double-doubles despite the fact only 12 teams were in action. In fact, the New Orleans Pelicans had three double-doubles on their own in their 118-103 victory on the road against the Detroit Pistons. We also had a couple of guys return from injury before the All-Star break. Let's start started!

Pau Gasol turned back the clock in Monday's game at Utah, as he took advantage of the absence of LaMarcus Aldridge (knee). He finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots and a steal over 33 minutes. It was an outstanding situation for Gasol, even with Rudy Gobert clogging the middle on defense. Gasol has the chance to do it all over again on Tuesday night, too, as the Spurs jump over the Rocky Mountains from Salt Lake City to Denver and Aldridge will be sidelined again. Just be careful, as the Spurs are no strange to resting veterans, and Gasol could very well sit, too, even with Aldridge sidelined. Davis Bertans and Joffrey Lauvergne might see a bump in fantasy appeal if Gasol were to sit or work in a limited capacity.

T.J. McConnell did not start Monday's 108-92 victory against the 76ers, but he was the only player in the NBA to turn in a triple-double. He posted 10 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds while adding six steals over 37 minutes while turning it over just twice. It was an impressive stat line for a reserve, as he hit 5-of-11 from the field while posting a plus-11. It was pretty amazing McConnell was able to gobble up the stats, as the two starting guards, J.J. Redick and Ben Simmons, also had nice lines. Simmons filled up the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocked shots, while Redick rained in 18 points, including three triples while hitting 6-of-11 from the field.

Editor's Note: Looking for an edge in your fantasy leagues? The NBA Season Pass provides weekly projections, rankings, the popular Pickups of the Day column, exclusive columns and customizable stat options. It's the extra tool that can take your fantasy basketball teams to the next level.

DeAndre Jordan had the glass cleaner out on Monday night, taking advantage of the smallish Nets. He was good for 16 points on 8-of-11 from the field while adding 17 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots over 36 minutes. Jordan also managed to avoid any trips to the free-throw line, which is addition by subtraction for fantasy owners. He ended up with a plus-22 rating, and his rebounds were second-highest on the evening to Andre Drummond's 21 rebounds. However, Drum did not have a terribly impressive shooting night, going 4-of-12 from the field while going 5-of-8 from the free-throw line to end up with 13 points and three turnovers while posting a minus-12 rating. That's why Jordan, not Drummond, is part of the Fantasy Five. If you follow along, Drummond was included on Sunday night.

Anthony Davis had the biggest scoring total of the evening, dumping in 38 points on 14-of-24 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the perimeter, and he was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw stripe. In addition, he was able to gather 10 rebounds with two blocked shots, an assist and a steal, as he more than handled his business while working opposite of Drummond. And to make matters better for 'The Brow', he and his team came away with the 15-point victory while he factored in with a plus-18 rating. He and Emeka Okafor teamed to neutralize Drummond on the defensive end, as Okafor chipped in with seven rebounds and a blocked shot over his 14 minutes. Nikola Mirotic was also busy with 21 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes off the pine.

What's gotten into Mario Hezonja in the past week or two? He was at it again on Monday night, going for 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point line. He also added 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, while filling up the stat sheet with six rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots while turning it over just once in his 30 minutes. He continues to take advantage of the fact Aaron Gordon remains sidelined with a strained left hip flexor. Hezonja is also benefiting from the fact the Magic dealt Elfrid Payton to the Phoenix Suns. Speaking of Payton, he receives honorable mention for the Fantasy Five with his 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting while gathering eight rebounds and five assists in Monday's blowout loss at Golden State.

Fantasy Game of the Night

The Los Angeles Clippers only scored 114 points, which isn't a prolific scoring total by any stretch. However, the Clips managed to spread the wealth with seven players scoring in double digits. That's quite impressive. We touched on Jordan above, and he was the only player on the roster with a double-double. However, Tobias Harris was close with 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists with a steal and a team-best plus-24 rating across his 33 minutes. Danilo Gallinari was also very efficient with a 6-of-9 shooting night, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc, while wrapping up the night with 16 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. The Italian swingman has two or more triples in each of his five games in the month of February while averaging 21.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 3-pointers per game. Austin Rivers was also effective, hitting 8-of-13 to finish with 17 points, and Avery Bradley rounded up the starting five with 11 points, as all starters were in double digits. Montrezl Harrell came off the pine and was a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor to wind up with 15 points across his 12 minutes, and of course Lou Williams was doing his thing off the bench with 20 points over 30 minutes, although he did go 0-of-4 from behind the arc to disappoint in that area.

In a losing effort, DeMarre Carroll finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and a blocked shot. The Junkyard Dog was on the trade block, but he appears to be rather pleased he was not shipped out of town. He is averaging 12.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists over his past three outings. Joe Harris was pretty effective off the bench, going for 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting in his 26 minutes of action. Spencer Dinwiddie didn't end up with a giant point total, but he finished with 13 points while hitting 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point line, and he ended up with eight assists and a steal, too. Allen Crabbe was one of four starters with multiple 3-pointers, hitting two triples while ending up with 15 points. Quincy Acy was the other member of the starting five to bang home two treys, finishing with eight points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot for a solid, yet unspectacular fantasy line. DeAngelo Russell tied Harris with a team-high 16 points, tacking on five assists with two rebounds and a steal over 25 minutes off the bench.

Quick Hits: After a double-double on Sunday, Michael Beasley had another solid outing with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting while adding five boards, two blocked shots and two assists. He made the start over Kyle O'Quinn, and it obviously looks like the right move. Over his past three outings he is averaging 19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocked shots and 1.0 steals per game. … Enes Kanter posted 17 points with 13 rebounds over 33 minutes for his eighth consecutive double-double. … Dario Saric posted a team-high 24 points with four rebounds and an assist while raining in four triples. Win or lose this season, Saric has been one of the most underrated fantasy option in the City of Brotherly Love. … Jrue Holiday went for 21 points, 12 assists, three rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot over 35 minutes in the 15-point win at Detroit. He also had a team-best plus-22 rating. … Donovan Mitchell took the circuitous route to his 25-point night, as he was just 9-of-28 from the floor. He also was 3-of-9 from behind the arc and just 4-of-6 from the free-throw stripe, but he kept getting the green light, jacking up shots, and the stats piled up slow but sure. He also ended up with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals while turning it over just once. … Rudy Gobert had another double-double, going for 10 points, 12 rebounds, two blocked shots, two assists and a steal over 31 minutes. … Derrick Favors had a solid line with 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. He has a four-game streak with at least one blocked shot and one steal while grabbing six or more boards in 10 straight outings. … Joe Ingles went for 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a steal. He didn't post a career high in points for the first time in three games, but he is averaging 22.3 PPG over the span. … In a blowout victory against the visiting Suns, Omri Casspi picked up the double-double, going for 19 points, 10 rebounds and two assists while hitting an effective 7-of-10 from the field. … Kevin Durant was limited to 30 minutes due to the lopsided nature of the score, but he still was good for 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, six assists and a pair of blocked shots. … Stephen Curry also lasted just 30 minutes, but he still piled up 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with three triples. … Klay Thompson has two more 3-pointers, giving him at least two treys in seven consecutive appearances.